Cricket update - Ashes - Our dreams almost came through

It came down to the final over of the Sunday, the fourth day of a five day Test, the busiest Test Lord’s had ever experienced, to see whether we would be back there on the Monday. We really did not want to be. It had been a long four days already, and Australia had one wicket left to lose, so we could have come back for nothing. But we did not, we finished up and were home by 9 pm. Nice.

Now of course IF Australia had put up a good fight we could have been back on the Monday, and IF the game was in the balance, as it was at Trent Bridge and IF both teams had a chance of winning but England had the best chance and there was a full days play guaranteed, and it was 33 degrees (it was) and at 10 am the announcement came that Princess Kate was in labour (it did) and a baby was expected today and then late afternoon England won and the baby was born and the crowd went wild and we all showered in Pimms and Champagne at the greatest cricket ground in the world at 6 pm on a hot Monday night…If that had all happened then well that would have been proper amazing. But it didn’t, England won and we all went home on the Sunday. Oh well.

No, I do not really support Australia any more. I think England deserve to win, and really, this is where I live, run a business and raise my family and my son and daughter will be considered English, just as my wife is considered Australian even though her parents are from Malta.

And seriously, you cannot get any better atmosphere than a winning England on a summers day. Brilliant.

Our dreams did not quite come true, but it was what we were hoping for. Either way, the Test match at Lords was the most successful ever for the Club and also the most successful ever for us. We made over 1000 drinks each day, 85% of those were made in the first 2.5 hours of each morning. The club blessed us by opening the gates 30 minutes earlier so that gave us more time to serve customers. For those who work in coffee, this is what we had on espresso – a 2 group Linea and 2 Anfim Caimanos, one of them with a digital timer for espresso.

We were busy every day, but on the Sunday the two baristas, Claire and Jess, made 300 espresso drinks in 2.5 hours. That is one every 30 seconds. It was the most intense two hours ever. It was so intense, that in the middle of service the espresso grinder stopped working as it was too hot and overworked. Claire simply swapped the hopper over with our decaf grinder which luckily was empty and continued on (more on this next week).

We even had a special visitor on the Thursday, not quite in our area but just across the drive is where the Queen parked up her car as she went in for morning tea in the Members Pavilion. She did not pop in for coffee, nor did anyone from the club send out for some to be delivered to her. I have met her before so I’m sure she would recognise me.

However, the Australian team did hear about us and the head of security came down each day to get deliveries. The girls got a shirt and a cap and I was lucky enough to get a team signed floppy hat. We also sent up coffees and ANZACS to the BBC Test Match Special broadcasters in the media centre, which is pretty cool to be able to do that as well, and get a mention on the radio in the afternoon on the Friday.

But now it is back to reality. we have a special on Royal Lamingtons, to commemorate the birth of Prince George as well, 3 days only, get in quick. Please enjoy the menu, as we have enjoyed putting it together for you.

Peter Dore-Smith
Director
Kaffeine Ltd
66 Great Titchfield st.
15 Eastcastle st.